Clinical Team
PSYCHIATRIST
Dr. Albert Massabki-M.B.B.CH, FRCP “C”
Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist
Dr. Massabki provides direct Psychiatric care to all clients at Youth Connections Inc on a monthly basis.
Dr. Massabki is a child and adolescent psychiatrist who consults to Youth Connections Inc. He provides direct psychiatric care to our clients as well as indirect care through consultation to the staff regarding varying models of psychiatric treatment and behavioural modifications. Dr. Massabki also prescribes and monitors the use of psychotropic medications.
PSYCHOLOGIST
Dr. Felsher, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist
Dr. Felsher is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who conducts comprehensive risk, trauma, and mental health assessments of our clients. In addition to assessments, Dr. Felsher reviews the clinical files of the youth in our care in order to provide treatment recommendations and consultation regarding our clients clinical needs.
In addition to consultation at Youth Connections, Dr. Felsher is the consulting Psychologist at Radius Child and Youth Services, a non for profit agency that specializes in working with children and youth who have experienced intrafamilial sexual abuse, with children who demonstrate concerning sexual behaviors, trauma, and with youth who have sexually offended. She is also a member of the Radius Training Institute. Furthermore, Dr. Felsher is the consulting Psychologist at Boost Child and Youth Advocacy program, providing clinical direction to the Assisted Directed Therapy, Youth Advocacy, Human Trafficking, and Internet Child exploitation programs. Dr. Felsher is also the Coordinator of the Telepsychology Program in the Ontario TeleLink Mental Health Program at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) conducting comprehensive psychological assessments, consultation, and training to the therapeutic foster and residential treatment programs of a large children’s mental health agency in Northern Ontario.
Dr. Felsher obtained her Master of Arts and Doctorate degrees at the School/Applied Child Psychology program at McGill University in 2006. Prior to her current roles, Dr. Felsher spent several working as a Staff Psychologist at Syl Apps Youth Centre, a specialized forensic mental health facility for high risk youth and youth in conflict with the law. She was also the consultant psychologist to the Intensive Supervision and Support Program, a court diversion program for youth in conflict with the law. As part of her internship, Dr. Felsher worked at CAMH in the Adolescent Service conducting Section 34 assessments for the courts.
Dr. Felsher has spent her career working with some of the most vulnerable youth in the province. Her expertise is in working with complex youth, especially those in conflict with the law, youth with sexually abusive behavior, youth with sexual behavior problems, and children involved with protective services who have experienced abuse, trauma, and neglect.
THERAPISTS
Our therapists provide weekly individual therapy sessions to their assigned clients at Youth Connections Inc.
Melissa Maltar, MSW, RSW
Melissa Maltar manages our YCI therapy team and also provides weekly individual therapy sessions to her assigned clients at Youth Connections Inc.
Since 2003, Melissa has specialized in working with court involved youth or at risk children, adolescents, young adults, and their families who have experienced interpersonal violence (including sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, neglect and intimate partner violence), intrafamilial sexual abuse, adolescents who have engaged in sexually abusive behaviour, children under 12 who have engaged in problematic sexual behaviours, depression, anxiety, and post traumatic
stress/complex trauma. She has developed specialized assessment and treatment skills in these areas. She also provides training and consultation to issues related to trauma and adolescent sexually abusive behaviour, locally, nationally, and internationally. Prior to 2004, Melissa worked within the violence against women sector supporting survivors of sexual assault, woman-abuse, and their children. Melissa has professional affiliation with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers, the Ontario Association of Social Workers, and the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers as well as certification in a number of therapeutic modalities.
Sean Basarke, MSW, RSW
For almost 12 years, Sean has specialized in strengths-based, trauma-informed assessment and treatment services with children, youth, and families impacted by interpersonal abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional), violence (including witnessing intimate partner violence), and neglect. Sean also has extensive experience supporting adolescents who have offended sexually and children who have engaged in concerning sexualized behaviour, including sibling sexual abuse reunification. Sean is affiliated with the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers (OCSWSSW), the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW), and the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA). In addition to his clinical work with children, youth, and families, Sean provides community training and consultation to other professionals in the areas of interpersonal abuse (with a special interest in the assessment/treatment of young men who have experienced sexual abuse) and adolescent sexual offending. Sean received his Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Toronto.
Shelley Kavanagh, RP. RCAT
Shelley Kavanagh is a Registered Psychotherapist and Registered Art Therapist with 25+ years of experience working with young people challenged by emotional and behavioral dysregulation. She is a Consultant with the Toronto District School Board, a faculty member of The Toronto Art Therapy Institute and a clinician with Radius Child and Youth Services. Shelley works with children and adolescents who have experienced trauma, children with concerning sexual behaviours and youth who have sexually harmed. She integrates a variety of theraputic modalities including Dialectical Behavior Therapy and mindfulness practices into treatment.
Karen Holladay, B. Sc., Dip. C.S., RP
Karen has been working with children, adolescents, and their families for more than 30 years, both as a clinician at the SAFE-T Program, Thistletown Regional Centre (now Radius Child and Youth Services), and as a consultant to sexual abuse specific programs in other children’s mental health centres and residential facilities. Karen’s expertise in the field of sexual abuse ranges from working with traumatized children and youth, children under 12 exhibiting concerning sexual behaviour, adolescents who have committed sexual offences and whenever possible, the families and/or caregivers of the children in each of these unique populations. Karen has presented both locally and internationally on topics including sibling sexual abuse, concerning sexualized behaviours in children, and adolescents who have committed sexual offences.